Charger for automatic guns



NOV. 14, 1950 E, wl STACEY E-rAL 2,529,822

` CHARGER FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS Filed April 2, 1946 5 Sheets-Shea?l l E. W. STACEY ETAL CHARGER FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS Nqv. 14, 1950 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1946 NGN Nw www @E O NWN 54V QM MN Nov. 14, 1950 E. w. sTAcEY ET Al.

CHARGER FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 2, 194e A@ u m Uva @d m @Mm mmm w s. D y r l l l l t I n W S T 4. l f n .Z M s im M1--. HH n of f u 9 E A NOV. 14, 1950 E. w. sTAcEY TAL CHARGER FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 2, 1946 nvenors Ernest WSzacey Nov. 14, 1950 E. w. sTAcEY ETAI.

CHARGER FoR AUTOMATIC GUNS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 2, 1946 Ermes zL WSzacey [nu ezzfrs AuguszuSBVY/i//hauck Patented Nov.- 14, 1950 CHARGER son AUTOMATIC GUNS Ernest W. Stacey, Beverly, and Augustus D. Willhauck," Stoneham, Mass., assgnors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey l Application April 2, 1946, SerialNo. 659,053

7 Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance and is illustrated as embodied in a charger for automatic guns.

In order to chamber a first cartridge in an automatic gun, such, for example, as a 37- mm. gun

of the general type disclosed in United States the lever to lower a breech block of the gun from battery position, draws said lever, together with the lock frame, rearward until said lock frame has moved to recoil position in which it is temporarily held by a carrier dog of cartridgefeeding mechanism housed in a feed box, Various parts operative in a receiver of the gun then being arranged to receive a cartridge delivered by said cartridge feeding mechanism. A slide mounted lon the top of the feed box and forming part of said cartridge feeding mechanism isthenmoved rearward by said crewman, causing a cartridge in a clip to be delivered to the feed box and then to the receiver, the cartridge as it passes through .the feed box actuating suitable mechanism to cause the carrier dog to release the lock frame which, powered by spring'assemblies and traveling in guideways in the receiver and an exten- 'sion of the barrel, chambers the cartridge and moves the various gun parts back to battery position.

Itis common practice manually to charge guns as above described, such action requiring considerable effort but vbeing satisfactory provided there is space available properly to actuate the .above-mentioned lock frame operating lever and the feed box slide.

When guns such as above referred to are incorporated in turrets mounted in airplanes, however, they are often inaccessible and cannot be charged as above described.

With the foregoing considerations in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vcharger by the use of which a gunner operating an automatic gun of the 37 mm. type carried by a turret mounted in an airplane, for example, can quickly and effectively chamber the iirstcartridge in said gun or, in event that there is a misma-extract a cartridge from the gun and chamber another cartridge in said gun. In accordance with 'a feature of the present invention there is provided, in combination with an automatic gun comprising a receiver, means for feeding a cartridge to the receiver, and means for chambering ted to return to action.

a cartridge fed into the receiver gva movable ac,- tuating member, and mechanism movable in response to movement of said member for operating said cartridge chambering means and'said cartridge feeding means in timed relation.

Inthe illustrative charger the actuating member constitutes a crank which is located in a position accessible to the gunner housed in a turret suchas abovereferred to; The operating lever of the lock frame of the gun "is V operated by an abutment pivotally mounted upon the'rearend of a reciprocable rack which is operatively'connected to said crank. As the crank is rotatedhir'r one direction the rack moves rearward in a rectilinear path, causing the operating lever' to swing on the lock frame to move the breech block from its battery position to its retracted position and then causing the lock frame to be moved to recoil positionin which itis held by the carrier dog of the feeding,mecl'ianisnnl Associated with the rack is a yoke or coupling which,V during'k rearward movement of the rack and under the iniiuence of a spring, isv permitted, by reason of movement' of a lug carried by the rack, to be latched to a bifurcatedlever operatively connected to said slide of the cartridge feeding mechanism. As the crank is rotated Yin an opposite direction the -rack is returned forward to its rest position. During such movement the lug on the rack engages the yoke then latched to said bifurcated lever, causing the cartridge feeding mechanism to deliverv a cartridge into the receiver of the gun and then to release the carrier dog of saidmechanism to permit*V the lock frame, under the action of spring assemblies, to return the variousv gun parts, including the breech block, to their battery positions.

As the yoke is moved by the lug mounted upon the rack, it is released from the bifurcated lever connecting it to the cartridge feeding mechanism, by'an adjustableV trip mechanism, with the result .that'the cartridge feeding Ymechanism is` permitits rest position under spring `The above and otherfeatures, including safety `devices for insuring thata cartridge. shall be quickly and effectively chambered in the gun with al minimum amount ,of eifort'on thepart of the Y gunner, will beunderstood and appreciated from .the following detailed description read in con- Fig.` 1 is an angular View, partly broken away,

Yof an automatic 37 mm. gun equipped with the illustrative charger, a lock frame of the gun havin g been moved to recoil position by the charger;

Fig. 2 is a side View, partly in section, of approximately the portion of the gun shown in Fig. 1, the various parts of the gun being in battery position and the charger being in its rest position;

Fig. 3 is a side View, partly broken away, showing the various parts of the gun at the time a cartridge is being transferred from a feed box to a receiver of the gun;

Fig. 4 shows a portion of the charger, partly broken away, as viewed on line IV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows a portion of the charger, partly broken away, as viewed on line V-V of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 shows a :portion of the charger as viewed on line VI--VI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an angular view showing the feed box of the gun, portions of a loading handle cam assembly being shown swung aside from the feed box; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2 showing cartridges assembled in a clip in the process of being delivered to the feed box of the gun.

In order initially to chamber a cartridge (Figs. 3 Aand '8) in a barrel 24 (Figs. 2 and 3) of a 37 mm. gun 22 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), or to eX- tract a misred cartridge, that is a cartridge which has failed to re, from and to chamber another cartridge in said barrel, the gunner manually swings an operating lever 28, which is pivoted upon a pin mounted upon a lock frame .32 of the g-un, clockwise from its position shown in Fig. 2, causing a vertically slidable ybreech block 34 to be moved .to its lowered or retracted position, shown in Fig. 3, against a stop 36. The lever '28 is then slid rearward, together with the lock frame 32, along guideways of .a receiver '37 of the gun to a position just rearward of that shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lever vthen being released and. accordingly, permitting the lock vframe to slideforward slightly under the action vof driving spring assemblies 38 until stopped by a carrier dog or latch 40 which is :pivotally supported upon a carrier or cartridge depressor 42 pivoted upon a pin 44 secured to a feed box 46 housing cartridge feeding mechanism of the gun, the lock frame being provided with a notch 48 (Figs. 2 and 3) for receiving said dog. The carrier dog 40, when unaffected by the lock frame 32, is moved ccunterclockwise -with relation to the carrier, .as illustrated in Fig. 2, until a shoulder 50 (Fig. 2) thereof engages the carrier, rby the action of a spring-pressed plunger 52 (Figs. 2, 3 and 7) housed in the carrier, the carrier dog being swung from its position shown in Fig. 2 to its position shown in Fig. 3 with relation to the then stationary carrier, yagainst the action of the plunger, by the recoil action of the lock frame.

A clip 26 (Fig.'8) containing cartridges 20 is fed into the feed box 48 of the gun along ways 54 (Fig. 2) of said box by a slide 56 which is reciprocated by the action of recoiling parts of the gun upon a lever actuating arm 58 (Fig. 7), or which may be reciprocated 'for initially loading the gun, as will lappear later, by the action of a cam 60 formed on a slide or loading handle cam assembly E(i2 movable longitudinally of the gun along guideways 34 (Figs. 1 and 8) of the 4'feed box, on an upstanding stud '63 (Fig. 7) of the slide. The clip actuating slide 56 is provided with spring-pressed pawls 66 constructed and arranged to engage in openings 68 inthe clips. Movement of the feed slide to its dash-dot position shown in Fig. 8, by reason of rearward movement of the slide 62 or the action of recoiling -parts of the gun upon the lever actuating arm 58, causes the clip 26 to be moved to the right, with the result that the leading cartridge 23 in the clip is cammed down out of the clip by tapered stripper cams 78, ready to be acted upon by the carrier 42 in a manner hereinafter described. During counter-recoil movement of the Ibarrel 24 and a barrel extension 18 (Fig. 3) back to their battery positions, the feed slide 56 is moved from its dashdot position shown in Fig. 8 to its full-line position, detents (not shown) serving to hold the clip against movement during retractive movement of the feed slide 56.

Lateral movement of the leading cartridge 20 being stripped from the clip 26 causes a carrier catch 'I2 (Figs. 2, 7 and 8), upon which the unsupported end of the carrier 42 rests, to be swung from beneath the carrier, with the result that the carrier, acted on by the spring-pressed plunger 52, depresses the cartridge stripped from the clip. When the carrier 42, depressing the stripped cartridge 20, has moved said cartridge to its dash-line position, shown in Fig. 3, into the receiver 3l, the carrier dog V40 is moved out of the notch 48 of the lock frame 32, with the result that said frame is permitted to slide in counter-recoil under the action of the driving spring assemblies 38, thereby causing a rammer 14 (Fig. 3)l of the lock frame, in cooperation with lands (not shown) of the barrel extension 16 in which the breech block 34 is vertically slidable, to move the cartridge into a chamber 18 (Fig. 3) of the barrel 24. When the operating lever 28, which may be said to constitute part'of the lock Aframe 32, has reached the forward end of its counter-recoil movement, itis rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig.,2, upon Ythe pivot pin 38 to raise the breech block 34 back lto .battery position. During recoil movement of the lock frame 32 a hammer 80 (Fig. 3) carried by and slidable in the lock frame is cocked. After the cartridge has been chambered and the various parts of the gun have been moved to battery positions, the hammer is released by suitable mechanism (not shown) upon rearward movement of a trigger 82 (Figs. 2, 3 and 7), causing a firing pin v84 (Fig. 3) in the breech block 34 to re the chambered cartridge. In the illustrative construction the trigger 82 is operated by a solenoid 86 (Fig. 1) controlled by a press button (not shown) mounted upon gun training controls positioned, for example, in a pressurized turret (not shown) to which a gun mount 88 screwed to a trunnion block -90 of the gun is secured.

The illustrative charger comprises a rack or actuator 92 (Figs. l, 2, 4 and 6) which is mounted for rectilinear movement in a guideway 94 formed in the gun mount 88, and a lengthwise adjustable rod 95 (Figs. 1, 2 and 8) which is pivotally connected at its rear end to the slide 62 and is pivoltally connected at its forward end to a pin 98 (Figs. 1 and 2) carried by and forming part of a bifurcated lever 58 fulcrumed upon pivot pins 82 threaded into opposite sides of the gun mount 88. The rack 92 andthe rod 96 are operated in succession, through mechanism hereinafter described, to move the lock frame actu.- ating lever 28 to its recoil position, for purposes above explained, and then to actuate the ammunition feed mechanism, commonly referred to as the ammunition feeder, of the gun in order to deliver a cartridge to the receiver 31 and thereafter to release the lock frame 32 so that it can move forward under the action of the Y driving spring assemblies 38 to chamber the cartridge and to cause the various gun parts, then in positions in which they permit reception of a cartridge `into the receiver, to be moved to battery position preparatory to firing the gun.

The rack 92 is operated by a gear |04 (Figs. 2, 4 and 6) keyed to a shaft |06 which is rotatably mounted in bearings of the gun mount 88 and has secured to its outer end a large gear |08 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) meshing with a gear ||0 (Fig. 2) secured to a shaft |`|2 also rotatably mounted in bearings of said mount and having secured to it a crank 4. As best shown in Fig. 4, a portion of the rack 02 is provided with a groove ||6 (Figs. 1 and 4) which, after the rack has been moved away from its rest or forward position illustrated in Fig. 2, underlies and is slightly spaced from a spring-pressed detent ||8 (Figs. 2, 4 and 6) housed in the gun mount 88;"the

` central portions of the teeth of the rack arranged just forward of the grooveV ||6 being in engagement with the detent when said rack is in its rest position, thereby insuring against displacement of the rack from its forward or rest position until it is desired to charge the gun. Secured to the rear end of the rack 92 is a bracket (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) having secured to it a pivot pin |22 (Fig. 2) supporting an abutment |24 which is U-shaped'in cross section and is constantly urged into contact with a rear face |26 of the bracket by a spring |28 (Figs. 2 and 5) the forward end of which is attached to a pin forming part of the bracket and the rear end of which is attached to a pin forming part of the abutment. In order to cause the abutment |24 to be swung rearward with-relation to the rack 92 to clear guide pins |30 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) of the operating lever 28 during retraction of the rack and occasionallyV during rearward movement of the rack, as will appear later, a pair of cam plates |32 (Figs. 1 and 2) are secured to the opposite sides of the abutment.

Upon counterclockwise rotation of the crank ||4, as viewed in Fig. 2, the rack 92 moves rearward, causing the abutment |24 to swing theA operating lever 28 clockwise about the pivot pin 30 and to move the breech block 34 to its lowered position against the stop 36, further rearward movement of the rack 92 causing the lever and the lock frame 32 to be moved rearward as a unit along guideways of the receiver 31 back to recoil position, the carrier dog dropping into the notch 48 in the upper surface of the 'lock frame to prevent forward or counter-recoil movement of said lock frame.

As above explained, after theV lock frame 32 has been moved to its recoil position, shown in Fig. 3, the rod 96 isV moved rearward, thereby operating ammunition feeding mechanism of the gun to deliver the first cartridge 20 of the clip 26 to the receiver 31, the lock framegthen being released for forward or counter-recoil movement under the action of the driving spring assemblies 38 to cause chambering of the cartridge and the movement of the gun parts back to their battery positions.,

The mechanism for operating thejrod 96 in timed relation with the rack 92 will now` be described. After* the lock frame 32 has been moved rearward to recoil position, the crank ||4 is rotated in a reverse direction, that is, clockwise, causing the rack 92 to move forward, a lug |34 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) of the rack engaging a tie-rod |36 (Figs. 1 and 2) of a yoke or coupling |38 which is Ymounted for swinging 6 movement upon the pivot pins |02. The yoke |38 is constantly urged clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, by a spring |40 oppositeV ends of which are attached to the upper end of the yoke v and to the gun mount 88, respectively.

The slide or loading handle cam assembly 6 is constantly urged forward by'a spring |42 which is housed .-infa tube v|44 secured to the cover of the feed box 46 and has its forward end engaginga boss |46 of the slide. Forward movement of the slide 62 with relation to-thefeed box 46 is limited by the engagement of the boss |46 with anut |`41 (Figs. l and 2) `carried by a rod |48 which `is'secured at -its rear end to the'feed box and which passes through 'the spring |42 and through a bore |49 (Fig. 1) in said-boss.'

Mounted upon 'a pivotpin |52 (Figs. 1 and 2) carried by the lever |00 is a latch |54 which is normally forced against a surfaceI |56 (Fig. 2) of the leverby a 'spring-pressed plunger |58 operating against the lower end rvof a vertically disposed portion of said: latch. Secured to the gun lmount 88 is a pedestal |60'provided with a trip rod |62 tting inra rectilinear guideway |64 of the pedestal and having rotatably mounted in an extension there-of an adjustment screw |66 threaded into the pedestal, the trip'rod being set in different adjusted positions lengthwise of the gun on the pedestal, for purposes which will l appear later.

lll/'hen the rack 92 is in its rest `or forward position, the lug |34 secured to the rack has moved the yoke |38 'to the position illustrated in Fig.

2 against the action ofthe spring |40. Asthe rack v92 is moved rearward, vthe yoke |38 operatedby the spring |40 moves clockwise, as viewed inFig.` 2, as permitted by the lug |34 until a. Vcrossplate |68 of the yoke engages a flat surface |10 of the bifurcated lever |00, the upper portionof the plate during such movementen- .gaging a bevel face |12 of the latch |54 and thus permitting' the plate to swing forward ofthe hooked portion of the latch to the position shown in Fig. 1. Y

When the rack 02 is moved approximately three-quarters of the distance back vto its forlv vard or retracted position, the lug 34 engages the tie-rod- |36 of the yoke |38 locked to the bifurcated lever |00, thereby swinging the yoke, together 4 with the bifurcated lever, counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. l, about the pivot pins |02 against the action of thesprings |40; |42, -with the result that the slide 62 is moved rearward along the guideways 64 of the feed box 46, the cam 60` (Fig. '1) of the slide operating upon the upstanding stud 63 of the feed .slide 56 and, through mechanism above described, causing the rst cartridge 20 of the clip 26 to be stripped .from said clip and to be moved to the dash-dot position shown in Fig. 3. As the cartridge arrivesl at this position it knocks the carrier catch 12 from beneath the carrier 42, with the result that the carrier is released and, under .the action of the spring-pressed plunger 52, moves the cartridge into its dash-line Vposition shown in Fig. 3, into the receiver 31. As the cartridge 20 reaches this position inthe receiver 31-the carrierV dog 40 ist moved out ofthe notch 40'of the lock frame32, permittingsaid frame .to move forward under the action of the spring assemblies 33 to chamber the cartridge, the operating lever then being swung counterclockwise, as viewed in Figs. l and 3, upon the lock frame to raise the breech block 34 back to battery position, the gun then beingAready-to beV redmupon 7 actuation of the above-mentioned press button (notfshown) which energizesthe trigger operatingfsolenoid'b.n l f Y A When the? slide 62 has'moved rearward to an extent effectively `to actuate the feed slide 56, as above explained, the vertically disposed portion `f the latch |54 (Figs. l'a'nd 2) engages the rear end of the trip rod |62, with the result that the bifurcated lever |00 is released from the yoke `|38Vv and, under the action of the springs |40,-|42, the lever, together with the slide 62, is' 'moved to` its idle position, shown in Fig. 2.

, By; thisftime the rack 82 will have moved forward to its lretracted position, shown in Fig. '2, the spring-pressedfdetent |`|8 engaging 'portions Qi.. thebrack teeth positionedy just forward` of the groove I I6, thereby insuring against movement of theA rack until it is again operated by turningthe crank ||4,v Y

As the rack 82is-moved forward to its retracted position, the cams |32 engage the guide pin |30 of the operating lever 28, causing the abutment |24 to swing ,counterclockwise as viewed-in Figs-2 and 3, against the action of the spring |28. It sometimes happens that the rack 92 is accidentally moved rearward after -having moved the lock frame 32 to its recoil position. Should this happen, the abutment |24 will also'be cammed down, so as to avoid striking the guide pin |30, by the action of the rear portions ofthe cams |32 against said pin.

In order to insure against the rack 92 being moved .forward withA considerable momentum under the action of the driving spring assemblies 38 should the gunner accidentally release they crank ||4 (Fig. 1), for example, before moving the lock frame 32 to its recoil, latched-back position shown in Fig. 3, there is provided a pawl |14 or latch (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6) which is secured to'a pin |16 journaled in the gun mount 88.` A forward extension o'f the pawl |14has attached to it the lower end of a spring |18, the upper end of said spring being attached to a lever |80 fulcrumed upon a pivot pin |82 secured to 'the Ygun mount. When the rearward end of the lever |80 is depressed by the tie-rod |36, the rack then being in its forward or retracted position, 'a shoulder |84 (Fig. 6) of the lever is moved away from an upstanding lug |86 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) of the pawl, permitting the pawl'to engage the teeth of the rack so as to stop forward movement of the rack in event' that the crank ||4 be accidentally released after partially moving the lock frame 32 back to recoil position.

As soon as the lock frame 32 has been moved rearward to a position in which it will be held in recoil position by the carrier dog 40V in event that the crank be released,` laterally offset cams |588 (Figs. 4 and 6) carried by the rack lift the pawl |14, against the action of the V'spring |18, away from the teeth'of the rack, causing the lug |86 of the pawl to move past the shoulder '|184 of the lever |80, which then swings clockwise to the position shown inY Fig. 6 `into engagement with the shoulder. When, the tie-rod |36 again' depresses the rearward end of the f'l'ever" |80' as Ythe rack 92 reaches the forward end 'of its stroke, said lever is moved counter'- clockwise, therebyreleasing the pawl |14 which 'then' moves'under the action of thefspring '|18 into engagement with the rack, as shown in Fig. 2.

f Under some conditions, such, for example, as where there is a jamming of gun'parts, it is desirable manually to release the lpawl |14 soV 8 that the rack 92 may be returned at any stage to its Vforward retracted position. Accordingly, the pin |16 to which the pawl |14 is secured has extending throughl it a handle |90 for swinging the pawl clockwise so that the lug |86 may be moved into engagement with the shoulder. |84 into the position shown in Fig. 6.

In order to charge the gun, the gunner rotates the crank ||4 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. '2' causing rearward movement of the rack 2' and accordingly movement of the lock frame 32 Vtoits recoil position. During rearward movement ,ofthe rack ,92 the yoke |38 is attached to the bifurcated lever |00. The crank ||4 is then rotated in an opposite direction to cause, through mechanism above described, rearward movement of the slide 62 and, accordingly, the chambering -of the cartridge, the yoke |38 being disengaged from the bi-furcated lever |80 before the rack 82 reachesits forwardposition thus enabling the various parts to assume their idle position illustrated .inl Fig. 2.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent vof the United States is:

1. In combination with an automatic gun provided with a'rec'eiver, a feederv for delivering cartrdg-esto the receiver, abre'ech block, a lock frame movable from battery torecoil position to effect movement of the breech block away from battery position and toprovide a space for delivery of a cartridge t0 the receiver, and means for temporarilyholding the lock frame in recoil position; a charger comprising an actuator movable in one direction to move the lock frame from battery to recoil position in which it is temporarily held by said means, and connections which are associated with said actuator and said feeder and are movable in timed relation with said'actuator for operating said feeder while the lock frame is in its recoil position tol cause a cartridge to be fed to the receiver and to cause the releasing of the' lock frame preparatory to chambering said cartridge.

2. In combination with an automatic gun comprising a receiver, a feed box, members reciprocable in the receiver from battery positions to recoil positions to provide in thereceiver a space for receivingV a cartridge from the feed box, and meansrv forL delivering a cartridge to the feed box and'then into said space to a position to be oper- A'ated upon by said members; a reciprocable actuator movable in one direction to move said members to recoilV positions, and a coupling which is moved into latched relation with'said means during movement of. said actuator in said one direction and which is constructed and arranged to be engaged by said actuator to operate said means upon movement of said actuator in an opposite direction. f

3. In combination with an automatic gun comprising a receiver, a feed boX,'a lock frame rec'iprocable in said receiver from a battery positionjtoa recoil position to provide in the receiver f (a space for" receiving a cartridge delivered from the feed box, and means for delivering a cartridge Ato said -feed :box and then into said space to a position tov be operated upon by said lock frame; a manuallyop'e'rted 'reciprocab'l actuator movablein-vone 'directionVV to move said lock frame to recoil position, a coupling which is moved into latched relation with said vcartridge delivering means upon movement of the actuator lin said one direction and which is constructed and arranged to be operated by said actuator upon movement of said actuator in an opposite direction, and trip means for causing said coupling to be disconnected from said means during movement of said actuator in said opposite direction.

4. In combination with an automatic gun comprising a barrel, a receiver, a spring assembly, a lock frame movable in said receiver to a recoil position against the action of the spring assembly, a latch for temporarily retaining said lock frame in recoil position, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon the lock frame, a breech block movable in response to movement of said lever, and a feeder for delivering cartridges to said receiver; a manually operative member, and means movable in one direction in response to movement of said member for causing said operating lever to move said breech block to a retracted position in which it allows access to a cartridge chamber of said barrel and for thereafter causing said lock frame and said lever to move against the action of said spring assemblies to recoil positions in which they are held temporarily by said latch, said means being movable in an opposite direction in response to movement of said member to cause operation of said feeder to deliver a cartridge to the receiver and for thereafter releasing the recoiled lock frame and operating lever, thereby permitting the lock frame and the operating lever to move under the action of said spring assemblies to `battery position to chamber the cartridge and to move the breech block to battery position.

5. In combination with an automatic gun cornprising a receiver, a feed boX, means for delivering a cartridge to the feed box and then to the receiver, a spring assembly, and a member; an actuator movable in one direction from a rest position to move said member against the action of said spring assembly from a battery position to cause .parts of the gun in the receiver to be moved into positions for the reception of a cartridge from the feed box, a coupling which is secured to said cartridge delivering means in response to movement of said actuator in said one direction and which is constructed and arranged to be operated by said actuator upon movement of said actuator in an opposite direction toward said rest position in order to operate said cartridge delivering means, a latch for preventing movement of said actuator toward said rest position after leaving said position until said actuator has moved a predetermined distance away from said rest position, a cam for rendering said latch ineffective after the actuator has moved said predetermined distance away from said rest position, and a ratchet for retaining said latch ineffective during movement of said actuator toward said rest position, said ratchet being movable in response to movement of the coupling just before said actuator arrives at its rest position to release the latch, thereby again rendering said latch effective.

6. In combination with an automatic gun comprising a receiver, feed mechanism for delivering cartridges to the receiver, a slide for delivering cartridges to said feed mechanism, a lock frame which comprises an operating lever and which is movable from a battery position to a recoil position to permit a cartridge to be moved into the receiver by said feed mechanism and is movable back to battery position to chamber said cartridge, and means associated with said feed mechanism for temporarily holding the lock frame in recoil position; actuating mechanism including a manually operated member arranged in an accessible CII position, a reciprocable rack operatively connected to said member, and an abutment which is pivotally mounted upon the rack and is adapted upon movement of the rack in one direction to cause rotation and reciprocation of said lever to move the lock frame to its recoil position, a spring for constantly urging the abutment to a predetermined operative position with relation to the rack, a cam which is secured to the abutment and is shaped and arranged to move said abutment away from said operative position with relation .to the rack during movement of said rack to i.n, sure against engagement of said abutment with portions of said lever when the lock frame is held temporarily in its recoil position and the rack is being reciprocated, and means for operatively connecting said slide and said rack, upon movement of the rack in a direction opposite to said one direction, in order to elTect movement of said slide and thereby to cause said feed mechanism to deliver a cartridge to the receiver while the lock frame is held in recoil position.

'7. In combination with an automatic gun comprising a feed box, a receiver, a slide for delivering cartridges to said feed box, and a lock frame which is movable from battery to recoil position to permit a cartridge to be delivered to the receiver from the feed box and which is movable back to battery position to cause said cartridge to be chambered; mechanism comprising a lever for operating said slide, resilient means for constantly urging said lever to an idle position, a manually operated member arranged in an accessible position, a reciprocatory actuator operatively connected to said mem-ber and constructed and arranged for movement in one direction to effect recoil movement of said lock frame, a yoke, a latch carried by said lever, a spring for constantly urging the yoke to a position in which it is secured to said lever by said latch, a lug secured to said actuator for moving the yoke against the action of said spring to an inoperative position, said lug being movable in said one direction together with the actuator to permit the yoke to be moved by said spring in latched relation with said lever and being movable in an opposite direction together with the actuator to actuate the yoke land accordingly said lever to operate said slide, thereby causing a cartridge to be delivered to the feed box and then to the receiver preparatoryato chambering the cartridge upon counter-recoil movement of the lock frame, and means for operating the latch when said lever has been moved by the `yoke a predetermined distance in said opposite direction to disconnect the lever from the yoke, thereby permitting the lever to move back to said idle position under the action of said relsilient means.

ERNEST W. STACEY. AUGUSTUS D. WILLHAUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,625,993 Gorton Apr. 26, 1927 1,651,128 Jervey Nov. 29, 1927 1,698,228 Harring Jan. 8, 1929 1,749,137 Hudson Mar. 4, 1930 2,375,452 Webb May 8, 1945 

